Ontario Construction News staff writer
The County of Simcoe and Town of Collingwood will host a pair of community information sessions July 15 to update residents on a proposed affordable housing redevelopment on Birch Street.
Drop-in sessions will take place at 485 Second St. in Collingwood from 1 to 3 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Staff will be available to answer questions about the project.
The redevelopment, located at 29 and 45 Birch St., would replace existing buildings with a new three-storey structure that will offer approximately 30 affordable housing units—more than tripling the current capacity of nine units on the site.
Officials say the new building will be designed to complement the character of the neighbourhood while improving access to local transit and amenities.
The project is being led by the County of Simcoe, with the Town of Collingwood contributing the land through a 2024 municipal proposal call for affordable housing sites.
“This is a great opportunity for residents to engage with the project team and learn more about how this redevelopment will serve our growing community,” the County said in a statement.
The town responded to the County of Simcoe’s Municipal Call for Proposals in 2024 with a proposed land donation at 29 & 45 Birch Street. This location already has access to amenities and site services on site with an existing 9-unit apartment complex.
This proposed development will improve density on existing lands and aligns with the County of Simcoe’s 10-Year Affordable Housing and Homelessness Prevention Strategy and the Simcoe County Housing Corporation Affordable Housing Development Master Plan. It has been identified as an ideal opportunity to implement modular construction due to its proposed size, timing and cost.
The selected proposal includes a 30-unit, 3-storey modular building.
